Clasp for receptacles



April 16, 1940. w MElNcKE 2,197,053

CLASP FOR RECEPTACLES I Filed Dec. 21, 1938 MAL/AM H Mf/A/C/F'. INVENTOR BY, ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 16, 1940 v 2,197,053 CLASP FOR REGEPTACLES William H. Meincke, White Plains, N. Y. Application December 21, 1938, Serial No. 246,957

=1 um-En STATES PATENT orrlcsl 2 Claims.

This invention relates to receptacles and their covers and more particularly it pertains to a novel construction of clasp for holding the covers .in their closed position and providing novel means for operating such clasp. p

In the accompanying drawing, the invention hasbeen illustrated as embodied in a receptacle of the cigarette case type and while it particularly lends itself to'this type of receptacle, it is also capable of use in connection with receptacles of other types and is, therefore, not to be limited to the embodiment inwhich it is herein illustrated. I

Cases of the type illustrated are particularly awkward to open. As generally constructed, they are held'clos'ed by a clasp which is released by application of pressure. upon a'thumb or finger 'member which projects from one of the case or receptacle members. I

It often happens, in grasping the case to open it, that the thumb or finger piece falls upon the wrong'side and the case member, by which it is carried, is not, therefore, freeto move to open position by reason'of engagement of the thumb or finger therewith. 'Whenthis condition exists, the person using the device either has toreverse its positionin the hand by which it is grasped, .or transfer it to the other handpeither of which is annoying and it generally results in the person using the case, resorting to'the use of both hands to. effect an Openingthereof.

' It isthe primary object of the invention to provide a new and novel construction of clasp which. will eliminate the several disadvantages afore-mentioned as prevalent in such devices of the conventional construction.

A feature of the invention resides in anovel construction of operating means for the clasp whereby the same maybe operated by either hand in either position.

A further feature of the invention resides in the novel arrangement and construction whereby that member of the case which is disposed outwardly with respect to the palm of the hand, will be free vto move to open position without interference onthe part of the thumb or finger by which the clasp of the case has been operated. Other features and objects of the invention willbecome apparent as the nature thereof is better understood and for this purpose, reference will be had to the following specification and claims and the accompanyingdrawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective :view of a cigarette case having a clasp and operating means conventional.

structed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a, view in elevation illustrating one manner of useof such a case,

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sec tional view taken substantially on the lined-4 of Figural, the view being upon an enlarged scale, Y

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken sub stantially on the line 55 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially-on the line 66 of Figure 1, and

Figure '7 is a detail double clasp. v The receptacle, which as heretofore stated is of the cigarette case type and it comprises two members H! and 12 which are hingedly connected together as at It in any conventional manner, and preferably includes a spring which tends normally to move the members l0 and I2 totheir open position.

The meetingledges of the members "land 12, except of course the meeting edges by which they are hin'gedly connected together are provided withinwardly turned flanges I6 both'to provide a sift-proof joint between the members and to provide a finish for said joint.

As "best illustrated in Figure 3, the member l2 carries a catch H! which has a shoulder 20 for perspective view of the engagement behind the inturned flange l6 of r in the inturned flange of the member l2 and forms a'thumb or finger operating member for ,I t

the clasp. I By reference to Figure 3,it will'be obvious that pressure applied tothe operating member 24, will flex the spring 22 and move the catch 20 out of engagement with the inturned flange of the member Ilbpermitting the members l0 and Ill-to move to their open position.

So far as described, the construction is con v However, it will be obviousythat, if such a device is grasped in the manner'illustrated in Figure 2, pressure applied to the clasp operating member 24 by the thumb, will by reason of engagement of the thumb with said operating member prevent, or at least interfere with free which it is carried.

movement of the members in and I 2 to their open position. By the same token, free and. easy movement of the members l0 and I2 is interfered with if the device is grasped in the right hand with the member l2 disposed outwardly with respect to the palm of the hand.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide a second operating member in the form of a thumb or finger element 30 carried by the member-.10 of the receptacle and so, positioned thereon as to be slightly spaced with respect to the operating member 24 carried by the member l2 upon a resilient member 32 which in turn is rigidly connected at one end to the member ID by As best illustrated in Figures 3 and 7, this operating member 30 has an extension 34 which overlies the shoulder 20 of the clasp l8.

By this construction, it will be apparent that when pressure is applied to the operating member 24, the clasp [8 will be depressed out of engagement with the inturned flange I 6 of the member ID and will permit the members l0 and I2 to move to their open positions. During such operation. the shoulder 20 of the clasp l8 merely moves away from the extension 34 of the oper-- ating .member 38. The foregoing operation, would of course be the result when the case is grasped in either hand with the member l2 disposed inwardly towards the palm of the hand.

When, however, the case is grasped in either hand with the member l0 disposed inwardly or towards the palm of the hand, pressure is applied to the operating member 30 whereupon, its extension 34 will act to disengage the clasp H! from the inturned flange l 6 of the member 10 and permit the members l0 and ,l 2 to move freely to their open position.

Thus it will be apparent that regardless of which of the two members It! and I2 is disposed inwardly with relation to the palm of the hand by which the device may be grasped, the clasp l8 may be disengaged with the inturned flange of the member ID in such a manner that the outer member is free to move to position to open the case without interference upon the .part of the thumb or finger by which said pressure is applied.

From the foregoing, it will become readily apparent that the several objects of the invention are attained by the construction herein set forth.

This operating member 30 is rigidly mounted It is to be understood however, that the invention is not limited to the specific construction herein shown and that it may be carried out'insuch other forms as rightfully fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1. A latch for cases and the like of the comprising two hingedly connected members, said latch comprising. a hooked member. carried by the other case member to retainthe case members in their closed position, a resilient element hooked member being carried by said resilient element upon the free end thereof, means carried 10 one of the case members for engagement with I by said resilient element for disengaging the v hooked member against the tension of the resilient element to permit of relative movement of the'hingedly connected case members, and separate means carried by the other of the; hingedly connected case members for engagement with the hooked member to operate the hooked meme; ber independently of thefirst mentioned operating means.

2. A-latch for cases and the like of the type comprising two hingedly connected 'members,

said latch comprising a'hooked member carried by one of the case members for engagement with 1 the other case member to retain the case mem--v bers in their closed position, a resilient element secured at one of its ends toone of the case members and having its other end free, said hooked member being carried by said resilient element upon the free end thereof, means carried by said resilient element for disengaging the,

hooked member against the tension-of theresilient element to permit ofrelative movement of the hingedly connected case members, and sep arate means carried by the other of the hingedly connected case members for engagement with the hooked member-to operate the hooked member independently of the first mentioned operating means, said separate operating means comprising '3 a resilient element secured to that case member which is engaged by the hooked member,isaid resilient element having a free end overlying the hooked member and an operating member for said second mentioned resilient member.

WILLIAM H. MEINCKE. 

